A conversation with Michael Thacker

Michael Thacker, Textron Aviation senior vice president for engineering, is a busy guy these days.

After Textron’s purchase of Beechcraft was completed last spring, Thacker oversaw the combining of Cessna and Beechcraft engineers into one large group.

He has responsibility for the combined engineering organization, which includes engineers at Cessna sites in southwest and southeast Wichita and at the Beechcraft facility.

Together, the engineers work on Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker product lines.

“Those teams have come together very well,” Thacker said. Engineers from Cessna and Beechcraft who were working on common product types now work together on one team. Those working on a specific project still work together as well.

Thacker grew up “all over the Midwest” and went to high school in El Dorado. He became interested in aviation because of his dad, who was in the Air Force. His father then took a job with a tire company and sponsored tractor pulls and automotive events.

In addition, “we worked on cars together,” he said.

He was pulled toward aerospace engineering because it is a challenging and interesting field.

In his role, Thacker oversees new aircraft development, certification, compliance, experimental fabrication, technical publications, product safety and engineering product support for aircraft in production and in the field.

Thacker holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Kansas and a master’s in business administration from Duke University.

After college, Thacker joined Cessna in 1993 as a propulsion engineer, then moved into aerodynamics, where he led aerodynamics development for all products and phases of maturity, including the aerodynamic development of the Citation Sovereign.

Thacker also served as director of research and advanced technology before being named senior vice president in 2011.

When not working, Thacker is busy with his family.

He and his wife, Antje, have 10 children, ranging from ages 1 to 19.

Textron Aviation has a lot of programs going on at once. How do you manage that?

From an organizational perspective, it’s a matter of making sure we understand how all of the different programs fit together. Most of it is working out the timing to make sure we have a smooth flow. With the development, design, feasibility and testing, there’s a flow through the different functions and organizations. Making sure you line those up to make sure you’re not stacking up multiple programs if you can help it. ... The pipeline’s full. Despite challenges the industry has faced, the company has continued to invest in new products. And there’s more to come.”

What’s your biggest challenge?

I think the biggest challenge is making sure we’re keeping up with customers’ needs and expectations and making sure we’re bringing products to the market that meet those needs and expectations. Desires change, and we’re trying to meet those needs. ... For me personally, a lot of it is about making sure we have the right leadership in place for those projects.

What do you like best about your job?

The best thing about it is the people I work with. I have great people.

Do you have a favorite program?

The Citation X because it was the first airplane I worked on. That’s where I really learned the company. (And) the Sovereign because I had a significant role in the development of that. I love them all. I’ve been able to work on so many projects.

What’s it like to see an airplane you’ve worked on so closely finally fly?

It’s an emotional goose bump kind of experience, especially when it’s a prototype, because it’s the very first time that it’s flown. It’s part of what keeps everybody motivated. Getting a new airplane in the air is about as good as it gets. There’s a great sense of ownership in it, and it’s very exciting.

How difficult is it to hire the engineers you need?

We are finding the people that we need. The quality of students that are coming out of the universities is really pretty good. We’re having a good recruiting season this fall. ... We’re actively recruiting primarily for internships and new grad positions right now.

Many passengers may not to pay too close attention to the plane they board when flying commercial. You design airplanes. What do you look at when you board for a flight?

Before I climb on board, I look at the airplane itself. ... What did they do from an aerodynamic point of view. ... When I get on the airplane, what’s the sense of space. How did they use the space they had available. Are they maximizing (it)?

What’s one thing not many people may know about you?

I really like reading historical novels and learning how other people have lived or dealt with crises throughout history to see if there’s something I can learn from that to deal with issues going forward. David McCullough is my favorite author.

This story was originally published October 17, 2014 at 1:59 PM with the headline "A conversation with Michael Thacker."